Knitting machine



May 27, 1969 .1. c. DOUGHTY 3,446,036

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1966 Sheet 2 of7 May 27, 1969 Filed Dec. 28, 1966 f gSB. JET

\f lvc 26 50 K J. c DOUGHTY 3,446,036 I KNITTING MACHINE Sheet 3 of? W NC- fi l.

May 27, 1969 J. c. DOUGHTY KNITTING MACHINE Sheet Filed Dec. 28, 1966 May-27,1959 J. c. DOUGHTY 3,446,036

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1966 Sheet 6 of 7 May 27, 1969 J. c. DOUGHTY 3,446,036

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1966 Sheet 7 of 7 United States Patent US. Cl. 66-8 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Knitting apparatus having a second gIOllp of knitting instruments remote from a corresponding first group. These groups of instruments have respective sets of operating butts. Cams are provided for action upon the butts of at least the first group of instruments. There are means for effecting relative unidirectional movement between a bed containing the last mentioned group of instruments and the cams. Intermediate movement-transmitting means are provided between the first and second groups of instruments, and these means remotely operate the knitting instruments of the second group, e.g. in a reverse sequence, each time the first set of operating butts are directly acted upon by the cams.

The groups of instruments may be in the same bed or in respectively different beds.

Feeders present yarns to relevant instruments. Such feeders are interconnected with the cams and knitting instruments, and elements associated with the cams move the feeders in conjunction with the knitting operation.

At the present date there are three main kinds of weft knitting machines, viz straight bar knitting machines, circular knitting machines and flat knitting machines. All of these machines may be equipped with means whereby the machines can produce single or double faced fabric and various patterning effects.

A straight bar knitting machine is capable of producing fully-fashioned pieces of knitted fabric suitable for use as parts of garments, the parts being fashioned by narrowing or widening on the machine.

A circular knitting machine may be capable of producing either plain or double knitted fabrics or purl knitted fabrics, depending upon the construction of the machine, the fabrics being either tubula-rly formed or of constant width and being knitted at a very high speed. Such fabric may be used as garment parts, the fabrics being shaped by cutting Circular knitting machines may also be used to produce shaped fabrics, for example, hose or half hose, in which portions of the fabric, for example, the heel or the toe of a hose or half hose, are produced by reciprocatory knitting, viz. relative oscillation between the needle bed or beds and the cam system(s) of the machine. Circular knitting machines may produce circularly formed lengths of fabric separable by draw threads which lengths usually require cutting to shape to provide garment parts. Usually, however, there is no provision, in a circular knitting machine, for adding to the number of needles in operation or reducing the number of needles in operation in order to produce fully-fashioned fabrics, that is to say, fabrics which are shaped by widening and narrowing to produce contoured edges thereof.

A flat knitting machine is capable of producing fabrics of plain, rib, purl or other knitted construction of constant width which can be cut to shape to form parts of garments and certain types of flat knitting machines are capable of knitting fully-fashioned fabrics which are shaped by narrowing and/ or widening, and which can be used as parts of garments.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel 3,446,36 Patented May 27, 1969 method of knitting fabric either of constant Width or which is fully-fashioned, i.e. widened and narrowed, and a novel knitting machine or knitting plant which is capable of knitting fabric of either constant width or fabric which is fully-fashioned.

Thus, an aim of the present invention is to provide a knitting machine or knitting plant which occupies a minimum of floorspace and which combines some of the high speed capabilities of circular knitting machines with the ability of flat and straight-bar machines to produce fullyfashioned fabric parts suitable for use as the component parts of high quality knitted garments whereby such fabrics can be produced at a fast rate.

A subsidiary object is to enable two or more such fullyfashioned fabrics to be knitted, if required, in an identical form, upon the machine or the knitting plant.

Broadly considered, the method of knitting provided in accordance with this invention consists in remotely operating, in an indirect manner and through intermediate connections, knitting needles, or associated needle-actuating instruments, accommodated in tricks or grooves formed in a needle bed from other needles or elements accommodated in remote tricks or grooves in the same bed, and for this purpose positively operating said other needles or elements or jacks or sliders associated therewith by direct action thereupon of a cam system.

The knitting machine or plant according to the invention includes, in combination, a needle bed formed with tricks or grooves, a first group of knitting needles or associated needle-actuating instruments which are accommodated in predetermined tricks or grooves in said bed and have thereon a first set of operating formations, e.g. butts; a second group of needles or elements, or associated jacks or sliders, accommodated in remote tricks or grooves of the same needle bed and having thereon a second set of operating formations, e.g. butts; intermediate coupling means between the first group of needles or associated instruments and the remote second group of needles or elements or associated jacks or sliders; cams for action upon the two sets of operating formations, the latter and the cams being relatively movable, and the arrangement being such that as the operating formations of the second set are acted upon by the cams, the needles or elements of the second group will be cam-operated whereas the remote group of knitting needles or associated needleactuating instruments will be indirectly and remotely operated through the medium of the aforesaid intermediate coupling means.

One particular method of knitting in accordance with the invention consists in operating a first group of needles by direct action of a cam system upon a first set of formations, e.g. butts, provided upon the said needles or upon associated jacks or sliders thereby causing the needles to knit in one sequence to produce one row or course of weft knitting in one direction, and then by action of the said cam system upon a second similar set of formations, e.g. butts, on a second group of needles or elements or associated actuating instruments remote from but connected to the needles of the first group, remotely causing the latter to knit in a reverse sequence to produce the next course of weft knitting upon said first group of needles in the opposite direction whilst relative movement between the cam system and the two sets of formations is unidirectional.

The particular method just described is carried out on a plant comprising, in combination, a needle bed formed with tricks or grooves; a group of needles, or needles and associated needle-actuating instruments, in some of the tricks or grooves, which needles or instruments have thereon a first set of operating formations, e.g. butts; a second and separate group of needles or elements with or without associated jacks or sliders accomodated in remote tricks or grooves of the same needle bed which needles, elements jacks or sliders have thereon a second set of operating formations, e.g. butts; means for coupling together in a reverse sequence the needles or associated instruments of the first mentioned group with the needles, elements, jacks or sliders of the remote group; at least one set of cams for operating successively upon the first and second sets of operating formations, there being provision for effecting relative unidirectional movement between the said formations and the cams and the two sets of formations being spaced apart along the path of this relative movement; and a feeder which is adapted to feed yarn to the first mentioned group of needles and to be reciproca-ted along a suitable path relatively to the latter, the arrangement being such that by direct action of the cams upon the first set of operating formations on the first mentioned group of needles or their actuating instruments these needles will be actuated seriatim to produce one course of weft knitting in the same direction as the aforementioned unidirectional relative movement between the cams and formations, whereupon, by similar action of the cams upon the second set of formations on the remote groups of needles, elements, jacks or sliders there is effected, through the medium of the coupling means, actuation of the first mentioned group of needles again seriatim but this time in a reverse order so as to produce on these needles the next course of weft knitting in the opposite direction, the yarn feeder being automatically reciprocable or oscillatable in correct timed relation with the knitting sequences.

Such a machine avoids many of the problems associated with reciprocatory knitting on a circular machine, or associated with knitting on a fiat machine involving successive reciprocatory strokes of a cam carriage, and thereby is expected to run more smoothly, to impose less mechanical strains on the machine drives and to provide a high rate of production.

Thus, a circular knitting machine in accordance with the present invention may comprise at least one needle cylinder formed with tricks or grooves in which are located at least one group of needles being less than a full complement of needles, the or each group of needles having associated therewith two separate sets of formations, e.g. butts, the formations of one set being located immediately adjacent the or each group of needles and being formed integrally with the needles of the or each group or with parts immediately adjacent and arranged to directly actuate the needles of the group or the relevant group, and the formations of the other set being formed integrally with elements separate and spaced from the needles of the group or the relevant group and spaced at a suitable angular distance about the axis of the cylinder from the latter, at least one set of cams for operating upon said two sets of formations for .actuating the needles, the needle cylinder and the set(s) of cams being relatively and unidirectionally rotatable about the axis of the cylinder, and a yarn feeder associated with the or each group of needles and arranged to be reciprocated, i.e. angularly oscillated, about the axis of the needle cylinder for an angular increment equal to the width or angular extent of the group or the relevant group of needles. Thus, the formations integral with the needles or with parts immediately adjacent the needles of the or each group will be acted upon by the cams of the set(s) and the needles will be actuated to knit during the relative and unidirectional rotation between the cylinder and the set-(s) of cams to produce one course of weft knitting upon the or each group of needles and, subsequent to this, the formations upon the elements spaced from the needles will be similarly acted upon by the cams of the set(s) to actuate the elements and, in turn, actuate the needles of the group or the relevant group in a reverse sequence, thereby to produce the next course of weft knitting in the reverse direction. Alternatively, the formations on the elements spaced from the needles can be firstly acted on by the cams of the set(s), and the formations adjacent the needles can be acted upon subsequently. Thus, although the circular knitting machine as described above knits fabric by unidirectional motion between the needle cylinder and the set(s) of cams, the fabric is produced in similar fashion to reciprocatory knitting either on a circular machine or on a flat knitting machine and is formed with selvedges, and any appropriate selection of the said group of needles can be effected whereby the fabric is widened and narrowed or is patterned in any suitable manner.

As indicated above the formations of the set disposed adjacent the needles may be constituted by butts, either formed directly upon the needles or upon intermediate parts, such as sliders or jacks, located in the same needle tricks or grooves as the needles, and this will be assumed for convenience in the following description. Moreover, the formations of the other set may also be constituted by butts formed upon the said elements spaced or remote from the said group of needles. These elements may simply be freely movable and connected with the said group of needles. However, the said elements may be in the form of needles which constitute another group upon which the butts are directly formed. Alternatively, the elements may constitute sliders or jacks, upon which the butts are formed, and which are adapted to directly actuate another group of needles. Thus, as will be described in more detail hereinafter, upon relative unidirectional motion between the set(s) of cams and the two sets of needle actuating butts the needles of each of the two groups knit one row of weft knitting in one direction and one row of weft knitting in the opposite direction due to the reverse sequence couplings between the needles of the two groups.

A flat knitting machine constructed in accordance with the invention may comprise at least one needle bed formed with tricks or grooves in which are located at least one group of needles, the or each group of needles having associated therewith two separate sets of formations, e.g. butts, the formations of one set being either formed integrally with the needles of the group or the relevant group, or being formed upon parts, e.g. sliders or jacks, arranged to actuate the needles directly, and the elements upon which the formations of the other set are formed being connected to the needles in reverse sequence by any suitable means whereby the needles can be operated, at least one set of cams or locks for operating upon said two sets of formations, e.g. butts, for actuating the needles, the set(s) of cams or locks being movable relatively to the needle bed(s) in a continuous annular path in the same direction, the two sets of formations being spaced at suitable distances along the path of movement of the cam box, and a yarn feeder associated with the or each group of needles and arranged to be reciprocated along a suitable path relatively to the group or the relevant group of needles, the arrangement being such that the needles of the group or the relevant group will be actuated in one sequence to produce one course of weft knitting and, subsequent to this, the formations of the other set will be similarly acted upon to actuate the elements and thereby operate the group or the relevant group of needles in .a reverse sequence to knit the next course of weft knitting, the set(s) of cams continuing to travel in one direction along said path.

As indicated above, the operating formations of the set disposed adjacent the needles of the fiat knitting machine, like those of a circular knitting machine, may be constituted by butts, either formed directly upon the needles or unon intermediate parts, such as sliders or jacks, located in the same needle tricks or grooves as the needles, and this will be assumed for convenience in the following description. Moreover, the formations of the other set may also be constituted by butts formed upon the said elements spaced from the said group of needles. These elements may, as in a circular knitting machine as described above, simply be connected with the said group of needles or be in the form of needles, which constitute another group, or constitute sliders or jacks adapted to directly actuate another group of needles.

In accordance with an important feature of the invention the knitting machine, being either a flat or a circular machine, may be arranged, as indicated above, to simultaneously knit at least two fabrics of identical form. In this regard, as described above, a second group of needles may be constituted by, or be associated directly with, the aforesaid second group of elements. The arrangement is such that the two sets of butts, are connected together such that, when a ;motion is imparted to one butt of a set, associated with one group of needles, an identical motion will be simultaneously imparted to the relevant butt of the set associated with the other group of needles. The connection between needles of one group and needles of the second group is such that the first needle of the first group of needles to be actuated by a set of ca-ms is connected to the last needle of the second group to be actuated by that set of cams, the second needles of the first group is connected to the last but one needle of the second group and so on, in sequence. In this way, as a result of relative unidirectional motion between the set(s) of cams and the two sets of needle-operating butts, the needles of the first group will be actuated directly by the cams of the set(s) in the requisite sequence to produce one course of weft knitting and, simultaneously, the needles of the second group will be similarly actuated, but in the reverse sequence by reason of the connection of the needles with the first group of needles, to produce a course of knitting of another fabric being knitted on the second group of needles, and when the cams of the set(s) act upon the butts associated with the second group of needles the latter will be actuated to produce the next course of knitting on the second group of needles and, simultaneously, by reason of the connections between the first and second groups of needles the latter will be similarly actuated, but in the reverse sequence, to produce the next course of knitting of the fabric being knitted upon the first group of needles.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, specific examples thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein.

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine having the invention applied thereto, 4

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but illustrating a modification,

FIGURE 3 is a developed view of a portion of a needle cylinder as seen from the inside thereof and illustrates the system of remote needle operation schematically shown in FIGURE 1,

FIGURES 3A and 4A are vertical sectional views taken respectively on the lines xx and yy of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 3C is a view similar to FIGURE 3A but showing a modification,

FIGURE 4 is a further developed view of a portion of the needle cylinder showing spaced groups of needles therein, cams for operating and controlling same, and associated oscillatory feeder rings, hereinafter to be described,

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic plan view of a back to back type of flat frame knitting machine having the invention applied thereto,

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of a needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine designed to simultaneously produce, according to the method of this invention, two separate fabrics.

In FIGURE 1, groups of knitting needles, individually slidable in cylinder tricks cut in the needle cylinder NC, are indicated at 1, 2, 3 and 4. At 1a 2a, 3a and 4a are represented, in purely diagrammatic fashion, groups of repeater elements such as that shown in detail in FIGURE 3.

The needles of group 1 are connected in reverse sequence to the elements of group 1a. Similarly, needles of groups 2, 3 and 4 are coupled in reverse sequence to the elements of groups 2a, 3a and 4a respectivelyall in the manner represented in FIGURE 3. Thus, with the cam systems indicated at 5, 6, 7 and 8 moving anticlockwise they traverse needle groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 and carry feeders 1b, 2b, 3b and 4b respectively across these groups such wise as to produce on each of the latter a row of loops knitted in the same anti-clockwise direction. That is to say, to achieve this result, the cam system 5 and the associated feeder 1b move from 10 to 1d; the cam system 6 and feeder 2b move from 2c to 2d; the system 7 and feeder 3b from 30 to 3d; and the system 8 and feeder 4b from 4c to 4d. The cam systems 5, 6, 7 and 8, which always move unidirectionally around the cylinder NC, thereupon move past and are disengaged from the feeders 1b, 2b, 3b and 4b which latter remain at positions 1d, 2d, 3d and 4d respectively.

As the moving cam systems 5, 6, 7 and 8 proceed to traverse the repeater elements in groups 1a, 2a, 3a and 4a, the feeders 1b, 2b, 3b and 4b .are caused to move in a clockwise direction respectively from positions 1d to 10; 2d to 2c; 3d to 30 and 4d to 40, thus supplying yarns to the needles of groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 and so creating rows of reverse knitting, i.e. in a clockwise direction. As will, therefore be appreciated, each of the feeders is caused to oscillate to and fro between its two positions.

A sequence is thus established which enables knitting with selvedged edges similar to that produced on a flat frame machine to be produced on each of the needle groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, such knitting being produced in a to and fro manner with oscillating feeders and oscillatory knitting action, but motivated by undirectional rotary cam action.

In this example, the elements referred to disposed in groups 1a, 2a, 3a and 4a are not needles but constitute parts of the transmission system to impart a reverse sequence to the needle groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 when traversed by cams 5, 6, 7 and 8 respectively.

FIGURE 2 shows a similar needle cylinder NC to that shown in FIGURE 1 but with needle groups 9, 11, 13 and 15 and groups 10, 12, 1-4 and 1 6 not of repeater elements but of further needles equipped with repeater butts, hereinafter described in FIGURE 3C. This modified arrangement is such that the needles of groups 9, 11, 13 and 15 are connected, via their repeater butts in reverse sequence to repeater butts of the needles of groups 10, 12, 14 and 16 respectively. The needle groups 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 are respectively provided with oscillatory feeders 9a, 10a, 11a, 12a, 13a, 14a, 15a and 16a arranged to oscillate between points 9b and 90, 10b and 100, 11b and 110, 12b and 12c, 13b and 130, 14b and 14c, 15b and and 16b and respectively. Feeders 9a, 11a, 13a and 15a are coupled to feeders 10a, 12a, 14a and 16a respectively in such a manner that when cam systems 17, 18, 19 and 20 collect feeders 9w, 11a, 13a and 15a and move them in an anti-clockwise direction across their respective needle groups, feeders 10a, 12a, 14a and 16:: are caused to move in a clockwise direction across their respective needle groups (as hereinafter more fully described with reference to FIGURE 4) in timed relation with the clockwise knitting sequence created in the needles of these groups by the reverse sequence needle connections. Thus, in this case, knitting with selvedged edges is formed on each of the groups of needles, i.e. groups 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16, and such knitting is produced by to and fro knitting and feeder actions similar to those in a flat knitting machine, but with cam systems rotating unidirectionally.

Turning now to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that this shows, in purely diagrammatic fashion, from the inside of the needle cylinder NC interconnections between needles 26 (see FIGURE 3B) of needle group 22 and repeater elements 23 (see FIGURE 3A) of repeater el ment group 21. Each needle 26 is furnished with a knitting butt 27 and in the case of every such needle the dimension from knitting butt to needle head is constant. Each needle 26, moreover, also has a repeater butt 28 which extends through a slot S in the cylinder wall and protrudes on the inside of the cylinder. The position of this repeater butt is different in each of the tricks 22a to 221 corresponding to transmitter shaft positions 31a-42a. On the other hand, each repeater element 23 include in repeater element group 21a to 211 has formed thereon a knitting butt 24 and also a repeater butt which passes through a slot S in the cylinder wall and protrudes on the inside of the cylinder The repeater elements 23, like the needles 26, are accommodated in individual tricks cut in the cylinder NC. The position of the repeater butt 25 in relation to the knitting butt 24 is different on each of the repeater elements 23 disposed in the tricks 21a to 211 corresopnding to the positions of transmitter shafts 31-42. These transmitter shafts 31-42 extend through bearings provided in plates 29 and 29a and are coupled, by means of universal couplings 44, to transmitter shafts 31a to 42a respectively which similarly extend through bearings in plates 30a and 30. Each of the transmitter shafts 31-42 has secured thereon a toggle 43, these toggles being differently positioned on the respective shafts, so that they lie opposite tricks 21a to 21l respectively. Similarly, each of the transmitter shafts 31a to 42a has secured on it a toggle 43athe last mentioned toggles being positioned to correspond with cylinder tricks 22! to 22a.

Each of the toggles 43 and 43a is at its outer end formed with pegs or provided with small rollers between which the relevant butt 25 or 28 is slidably engaged.

Thus, by virtue of this method of connection, repeater elements 23 in tricks 21a to 21l are coupled to needles 26 in tricks 22! to 22a respectively. If, therefore, the butt 27 of the needle in trick 221 is directly acted upon by a cam to actuate that needle, a similar actuation of the repeater element 23 in the trick 21a will be effected, and, conversely, if the butt 24 of the element 23 in the trick 21a is acted upon by a cam to actuate that element then a similar actuation of the needle 26 lying in the trick 22! will be remotely effected and so on. Consequently, when cams traverse needle group 22 in one direction and thus effect a knitting sequence of the needles in that group, a similar but reverse actuating sequence, i.e. in the opposite direction, of the repeater elements of group 21 will be effected. Likewise, when cams traverse group 21 in one direction and create a sequential wave form in the elements of that group a sequential knitting wave form will be created remotely and in the opposite direction in the needles of group 22.

In certain applications of the invention, the arrangement just described is desirable to produce reciprocatory knitting on a circular knitting machine with uni-directional rotary cam action, but in other cases the replacement of repeater elements 23 by needles 26a furnished with repeater butts 28a, as shown in FIGURE 3C, is advantageous. By this last mentioned arrangement a uni-directional rotation of cams over needles of group 21 (i.e. in the direction from 2111 to 211) creates a forward knitting sequence in needles of this group and simultaneously a backward knitting sequence in the needles of group 22 (i.e. from 221 to 22a). Moreover, further rotation of the cams (whose direction of rotation is always the same) produces a forward knitting sequence in the needles of group 22 (from 22a to 221) by direct cam action and simultaneously creates by remote action a backward knitting sequence in the needles of group 21 (i.e. from 211 to 21a).

Thus, each of theneedle groups 21 and 22 when fed with yarn in a suitable manner can produce selvedge edged knitting by oscillatory needle and feeder action in a similar manner to that of a flat knitting machine but with uni-directional movement of a rotary cam system.

Needle-actuating cams and feeder operating means suitable for use in conjunction with an arrangement like that described with reference to FIGURE 30 are illustrated in FIGURE 4. In this figure are shown in tricks of the needle cylinder NC a group 21 of individual latch needles 26a having knitting butts 27a and, circumferentially spaced therefrom, a separate group 22 of similar needles 26 having knitting butts 27.

The needles 26 of group 22, i.e. those accommodated in tricks 22a to 22l are connected, in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 3, to needles 26a of group 21 located in tricks 211 to 21a respectively. This arrangement provides forward knitting sequences in the needles of a group activated directly by cams 46 and 37 in cam box 45 and a backward knitting sequence (in respect to direction of cam box rotation) of the group of needles operated indirectly and remotely by the reverse repeater connections.

At 50 in FIGURE 4 is indicated a feeder ring which is carried by suitable bearers (not shown) and is capable of oscillatory motion about the cylinder NC. A feeder 48 is secured to the ring 50. On a bracket 58 fixed to the cam box 45 is fulcrummed a spring-loaded lever 59. The said bracket and lever are at a sufficient distance from the centre line of the machine to enable them to pass by the feeder 48 without contact therewith. A feeder ring drive block 53 secured to the ring 50 projects sufficiently to be positvely engaged by the lever 59. Thus, rotation of the cam box 45 in the direction 21a to 21! causes the feed ring drive block 53 to be moved from its dotted line position at 53b to the dotted line position at 53a; at the same time, the feeder 48 is carried from position 48b to position 48a in timed relationship with the sequence created by direct cam action in the needles of group 21. At the point 53a the lever 59 is disconnected from the block 53 by the action on the said lever of a fixed cam 55. Over a limited distance, the upper surface of the feeder ring 50 has gear racking teeth formed on it. Likewise, the lower surface of an upper feeder ring 51 has similar gear racking teeth formed thereon. A gear 52 is rotatable about a spindle secured to a fixed part 57 of the machine frame, the teeth of this gear meshing with the racking teeth on the feeder rings 50 and 51.

Thus, simultaneously with the movement of the feeder 48 from the position 48b to the position 48a, the ring 51 turns in the opposite rotation to the ring 50 and so causes a feeder 49, secured to the ring 51 to execute one stroke of an oscillation, i.e. from 49a to 49b until a feeder ring drive block 54 is in the dotted position indicated at 54b. On further unidirectional rotation of the cam box 45, the lever 59 engages the feeder ring drive block 54 at point 54b and moves it point 54a at which a fixed cam 56 disengages the lever 59 from the block 54. The feeder 49 has accordingly moved from 49b to 49a in timed relationship with the knitting sequence created in the needles of group 22 by direct action of the earns 46 and 47 on their knitting butts 27. Simultaneously, however, the feeder 48 has moved from 48a to 48b in timed relationship with the knitting action created in the needles of group 21 in the direction from 211 to 21a by the action of the reverse repeater connections. Once cams 46 and 47 are clear of the last needle of the group 22, i.e. the needle in trick 22l, a further cam system such as 45 secured to a common cam box ring can commence to act upon the first needle of needle group 21, i.e. the needle in trick 21a. By arranging a series of pairs of needle groups similar to the groups 22 and 21, each pair being suitably provided with repeater mechanisms, and by arranging a common cam box ring to carry one cam box per pair of needle groups (such cam boxes advantageously being equally spaced around the said ring), each group of needles can produce selvedge edged fabric knitted by oscillatory knitting action (similar to the reciprocatory action of a fiat knitting machine) but with unidirectional rotary cam action (which may be of constant speed).

The circular knitting machine can, of course, have a second cylinder superimposed on the lower cylinder and similarly equipped with needles and repeater elements and having associated cam systems arranged to form rib or double fabrics when the needles in the upper and the lower cylinders co-operate. Such two cylinders may each be equipped with one full complement of single hooked needles or may be arranged with a single set of doubleended needles, i.e. with hooks and latches at each end, capable of working in either cylinder or some in each cylinder. Alternatively, there may be arranged over the cylinder NC a dial tquipped with pairs of groups of needles, each pair being associated with repeater mechanisms to enable these groups of dial needles to co-operate with needle in opposing groups in the cylinder.

According to the particular application of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 4, the feeder rings 50 and 51 may be complete lightweight rings (with low inertia) onto which the feeders of the machine are secured. But in order to reduce impact to a minimum, these rings may alternatively be divided into relatively short accurate bars of sufficient lengths to carry feeders for one pair of needle groups, each such arcuate bar being formed with suitable racking teeth and each pair of upper and lower bars being carried in fixed bearers and arranged in engagement with a gear such as 52. By virtue of this construction, the impact effect of lever 59 on blocks 53 and 54 can be minimised.

Manifestly four, six, or any appropriate number of separate groups of needles with associated butts, provided either directly thereon or on intermediate sliders or jacks, may be provided upon the machine for producing an equivalent number of fabrics. Thus, there may be a plurality of separate groups of needles arranged in the tricks or grooves of the cylinder, or of both cylinders or of the cylinder and the dial of the circular knitting machine as the case may be. Similarly, in a flat knitting machine there may be a plurality of separate groups of needles arranged in the tricks or grooves of the bed or of the two opposed beds, as the case may be.

However, a flat knitting machine or a flat knitting plant in accordance with the invention and for knitting a plurality of separate fabrics, could comprise a plurality of separate needle beds or a plurality of opposed pairs of needle beds, each bed, or each pair of beds, or the beds of each pair, being equipped with a group of needles having associated therewith a set of butts, for actuation successively by a set or sets of cams arranged to move in one direction along a continuous annular path, the needles in one bed or one pair of beds being connected with the needles associated with another bed or another pair of beds.

Thus, a simple embodiment of this form of machine comprises two pairs of opposed needle beds, which lie back to back, each bed having therein a group of needles in the tricks or grooves therein and sets of butts associated with the needles, the needles in the opposed beds of one pair being connected in reverse sequence with the needles in the opposed beds of the other pair; a set or set of cams for successively and unidirectionally acting upon the sets of butts; and at least one feeder reciprocable along each pair of opposed needle beds, whereby first one course of weft knitting is effected in one direction upon the needles of one pair of opposed beds by actuation of the butts thereof directly by the set(s) of cams, and a course of weft knitting is similarly effected in one direction upon the needles of the other pair of beds by reason of the activation of the set of butts thereof through the connections with the needles of the said pair of beds when the set of butts upon the said needles of the first pair of beds are directly actuated by the set(s) of cams, and as the same set(s) of cams move(s) around to actuate the butts associated with the needles of the second pair of opposed beds, the needles of the second pair of opposed beds will be directly actuated to knit a second course of weft knitting in the reverse direction of the fabric being knitted thereon, and the needles of the first pair of opposed beds, by reason of the connections between the needles of the two pairs of beds, will be actuated to knit a second course of knitting in the reverse direction, each set of cams successively operating the needles of both pairs of needle beds in similar fashion.

As indicated above, although there may be only one set of cams there may be any suitable number of sets of cams arranged to actuate the needles of each group both directly by actuation of the elements, e.g. another group of needles connected therewith.

A specific example of the application of the invention to a back to back type of fiat knitting machine is illustrated in FIGURE 5. This machine comprises two double bedded flat frame units about which cam systems rotate unidirectionally. Thus, in FIGURE 5 needle beds and 61 are opposed back to back to form one fiat frame unit, and needle beds 62 and 63 are similarly opposed to form the second flat frame unit. Each needle bed is equipped with needles whose knitting butts may lie in either of two paths, i.e. either in a path lying towards the knitting verge of the bed or in a path lying outwardly from it. Thus, in beds 60 and 61 the knitting butts lie in paths 60a and 61 respectively; no butts lie in paths 60b and 611). In the needle beds 62 and 63, on the other hand, nearly half the needles have knitting butts in paths 62a and 63a respectively with no butts in paths 62b and 63b, and over the remainder of the bed lengths the needle butts lie in paths 62b and 63b respectively with no butts in paths 62a and 63a.

In this example, cam systems 64 and 66 traverse paths 60a and 61a of beds 60 and 61 from right to left, whilst simultaneously cam systems 68 and 70 traverse paths 62a and 63a of beds 62 and 63 from left to right. Later, cam systems 68 and 70 traverse paths 60a and 61a of beds 60 and 61 from right to left whilst simultaneously cam systems 64 and 66 traverse paths 62a and 63a of hers 62 and 63. Cam systems and 67 rotate at fixed distances from systems 64 and 66 but traverse paths 60b and 61b of beds 60 and 61 respectively and paths 62b and 63b of beds 62 and 63 respectively. Cam systems 69 and 71 rotate at fixed distances from cam systems 68 and but traverse paths 62b and 63b of beds 62 and 63 respectively and paths 60b and 61b of beds 60 and 61 respectively. Each needle in the bed 60 is connected to the needle opposite in the bed 62 (e.g. needle 76 to needle 77) in such a manner that whatever movement or cycle of operation is imparted to a needle in bed 60 relative to the latter by direct cam action upon its butt, a similar action will be imparted to the opposite needle in bed 62 relative to that bed. Thus, for instance, if needle 76 is caused to clear and knit by direct cam action, needle 77 will be caused to clear and knit by remote actuation of its connections with needle 76. Conversely, any movement or cycle created in a needle bed '62 relative to that bed by direct cam action on its knitting butt created in the opposite needle in bed 60 a similar movernent or cycle, but in relation to bed 60 by remote connections. In a like manner, each needle in bed 61 is connected to an opposite needle in bed 63 (e.g. needle 78 to needle 79) so that movement of a needle in bed 61 relative to the latter effects a similar movement of an opposite needle in bed 63 relative to that bed, and vice versa.

Beds 60 and 61 are equipped with feeders 72 and 74 adapted to reciprocate in opposite directions along the 11 lengths of the said beds. Similarly, the beds 62 and 63 are equipped with feeders 73 and 75 adapted to reciprocate in opposite directions along the lengths of these beds.

The operation of the machine just described is as follows:

The cam systems 64 and 66 engage feeder 72 (and also feeder 73 to which feeder 72 is coupled) and tra verse beds 60 and 61 from right to left thereby producing a complete row of knitting extending from 60c to 600.. By remote action, however, a complete row of knitting is also formed on the needles in beds 62 and 63, this row commencing at 62c and terminating at 62d. Simultaneously with these actions, cam systems 68 and 70 engage feeder 75 (and also feeder 74 to which feeder 75 is coupled) and traverse beds 62 and 63 from left to right, knitting thus taking place on the needles whose butts l e in paths 62a and 63a respectively to produce a row of knitting on these needles which row commences at 62d and terminates at 622. At the position 62e, however, feeder 75 and hence also feeder 74 are disengaged from cam systems 68 and 70 and are arrested while cam systems 68 and 70 proceed to traverse paths 62a and 63a from left to right but beyond the point 62e no further knitting butts lie in paths 62a and 63a. Whilst the knitting process in this direction is arrested, the knitting from right to left on beds 60 and 61 and beds 62 and 63 is allowed to proceed unhindered but when it is safely beyond points 60c and 62e proceeding towards 60d and 62d cam systems 69 and 71 engage feeder 75 (and thus also feeder 74) which are stationary adjacent to points 62:: and 60e respectively and traverse the butts lying in paths 62b and 63b respectively to complete the row of knitting proceeding from left to right, i.e. the portions from 60a and 622 to 600 and 620 respectively. Thus, feeders 74 and 75 now lie disengaged at positions 600 and 620 respectively and feeders 72 and 73 lie at positions 60d and 62d and further rotation of the cam systems enable systems 68 and 70 to engage feeders 74 and 75 and systems 64 and 66 to engage feeders 72 and 73 but on this particular traverse it is feeders 72 and 73 that are arrested at points 60c and 62:: whilst feeders 74 and 75 traverse unhindered. In this way, a cycle of knitting operations has been established which can be continuous and the knitting on both the flat frame units is selvedged at both edges and if, as may be, the machine is additionally furnished with conventional stitch transfer and needle selecting facilities, it can then produce fully fashioned selvedge edged garment parts.

The arrangement illustrated in FIGURE is relatively simple, but by increasing the numbers of cam systems and feeders and re-arranging the butt layouts in various tiers, the productive capacity of the machine can be increased.

Although in the hereinbefore described circular and fiat knitting machines the or each set of cams is described as being adjacent to the needle bed or beds of the machine there is no limitation in this respect and the set(s) of cams and the aforesaid two or more sets of butts actuated thereby may be separate and spaced from the needle bed(s) and constitute a remote control unit, the elements or parts carrying the butts being actuated by the or each set of cams and being coupled to the needles suchwise as to actuate the latter from the remote location of the elements or parts. In the case of a circular knitting machine, the or each set of cams, e.g. in a cam box or boxes, may rotate relatively to a suitable stationary support upon which the two sets of elements or parts are also mounted for appropriate movement so that, as the or each cam box rotates relatively to the support, the elements or parts, and thereby the needles, will be actuated.

Such a remote control unit could be of smaller or greater dimensions than the actual needle bed of the machine but in proportion and if necessary, the elements or parts carrying the butts for actuation by the cams and the set(s) of cams can be more robust than would be practicable if the needles, parts or elements carrying the butts of the machine were directly acted upon by cams.

A remote control unit having a circular mounting supporting the parts or elements carrying the butts to be controlled, could, of course, operate a flat knitting machine or machines.

Although the parts or elements carrying the butts to be controlled are preferably mounted in a stationary circular mounting with the set or sets'of rotatable cams relatively thereto, there is no limitation in this respect as it may well be possible for the circular mounting to rotate relatively to fixed set(s) of cams. Moreover, although it is preferred that the remote control unit is rotatably operable, an oscillatory or reciprocatory arrangement might be adopted.

In any event, a remote control arrangement may be utilised to provide a complete knitting plant in accordance with the invention and comprising a plurality of flat or circular knitting machines or groups of fiat or circular needle beds, controlled by a common control unit. Thus, the or each group of needles in each needle bed of the machine would be coupled to two sets of elements or parts, as described above, located in the control unit and actuated by set(s) of cams therein whereby the needles of all the machines are caused to knit or are otherwise actuated by the remote control unit. In this case, means will be provided for coupling the needles to the associated two sets of elements or parts remotely situated in the remote control unit. Such means may be of any appropriate form and may, for example, be wholly mechanically, electro-mechanically, electrically, or hydraulically operable.

A specific example of a remote control unit suitable for controlling needles in either a flat knitting machine bed or a needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 6. In this figure only the principal hydraulic connections are shown, hydraulic make-up ports and connections being omitted. As will be seen, the remote control unit has a stationary base 84 to which is secured a cylinder 83. This cylinder has formed therein staggered bores 95 each containing a double-ended piston 86 to which is secured a butt 93. The latter passes out beyond the outer surface of the cylinder 83 through a slot 83a of limited length. The butts 93 are actuated by cams 92 in cam boxes which are rotated uni-directionally about the cylinder 83.

When the remote control unit is required to motivate the needles of a fiat knitting machine, a convenient way is to provide a second butt 93a at a different height and arranged to be operated by a second system of cams 92a in cam boxes 85a which rotate in timed relationship with boxes 85 but in the opposite direction. In a simple case, the cylinder 83 has two equal groups of hydraulic units arranged so that the blank section of the cylinder between these groups at one side of the said cylinder is equal to the corresponding blank section at the opposite side, and a cam box 85 occupies the first blank section with a cam box 85a located directly beneath it. In such a case after half a revolution the box 85 passes over the box 85a adjacent to the second blank space. If the hydraulic units of the first group are connected to one bed of a flat knitting machine whilst the units of the second group are similarly connected to the opposed bed of the said machine, in such a manner that a displacement of each piston 86 effects a proportional movement of the revelant needle 98, then needles in first. one bed of the machine will be caused to knit by action of cams 85, and needles in the second bed by cams 85a (in timed knitting sequences between the opposing needles), and on the reverse direction of knitting needles in the first bed will be caused to knit by action of cams 85a and the needles in the second bed by cams 85.

In FIGURE 6 a fiat frame bed 81 is shown disposed at the conventional angle to the horizontal of a V-bed machine. Associated with each needle 98 in the bed 81 is a double-ended piston 87 housed in a bore 96. The bores 96 may be staggered Within the depth of the machine bed. An attachment 97 is hooked to register on the butt of each needle 98, and a hydraulic connection is made via a tube 88 which connects the top of the relevant remote hydraulic unit at the left-hand side of the figure with the bottom of a needle hydraulic unit at the right-hand side. A tube 89 connects the lower end of such remote unit with the upper end of the corresponding needle unit. Thus, an upward displacement of piston 86 will effect an upward displacement of piston 87, and likewise a downward displacement of piston 86 causes a downward displacement of piston 87.

In purely diagrammatic fashion there is also shown in chain dotted lines in FIGURE 6 an alternative application, i.e. to a needle cylinder 82 of a circular knitting machine the needles 9811 in which cylinder are motivated from the remote unit 80. Merely for convenience in illustration, the cylinder 82 is superimposed upon the fiat bed 81. In a single form of this alternative application the cam systems 85a can be dispensed with, connections 90 extending from the tops of the remote control hydraulic units 80 to lower ends of staggered bores 96a in the cylinder 82, and tubes 91 extending from the lower ends of the remote control units to the upper ends of the needle unit bores 96a. Thus, the actuation of a piston 86 by action of a cam 92 of the unidirectional rotary cam system on the relevant butt 93 produces a proportional movement of the corresponding needle 98a by virtue of the connection of element 97a to the butt of needle 98a and to piston 8701. Accordingly, rotation of the cam boxes 85 can remotely create knitting, tucking or other appropriate wave forms in the needles 98a in cylinder 82.

The yarn feeders of circular or of flat knitting machines may be suitably operated from the cams 85 of the remote control unit through the medium of any suitable hydraulic, electrical or mechanical means.

FIGURE 6 shows only simple cases of the remote control of needles. However, in the case of a needle cylinder such as 82, a second co-operating bed in the form of a dial or another cylinder may be furnished with needles which are opposed to needles 98a and are adapted to be operated along similar lines to those already described.

Each butt 93 and 93a (where applicable) can operate a number of pistons 86, each of which operate one of relevant needles provided in a number of separate machine heads or beds. Such an elaborated arrangement is facilitated by the fact that the diameter of the remote control cylinder 83 can be of different to the diameter of a circular needle bed and the periphery of the said cylinder can be different to that of the length of a flat frame bed. For example, the diameter and periphery of the cylinder such as 83 of a remote control unit can be greater than the relevant dimensions of a needle bed so that the butts 93 can be set out at a coarser gauge than that of the needles in the said bed, thus permitting the provision of robust mechanism and enabling a multiplicity of pistons 86 and bores 95 to be provided to each butt 93.

The cylinder 83 may be arranged in various tiers one above the other, each tier being traversed by clockwise rotating cams (and also by anti-clockwise rotating cams where required): in such a case butts 93 (and 93a where required) can be set out to provide contradirectional knitting with interrupted feed to machines.

The hydraulic arrangements shown at 81 and 82 can equally Well be used without the remote control unit 80, to provide the necessary cross connections between needles of the same machine where required, e.g. in cases similar to those shown in FIGURES and 7.

There are several different ways in which connections can be made in specific applications of these remote controls. For example, needles in front and rear beds of a flat knitting machine can be so arranged that each needle is controlled by twin pistons 87 one in each of two bores 96 whereby, with unidirectional cams rotatable about the remote control cylinder 83, a knitting cycle can be created in the needles of both beds, in one direction across the beds using straight connections between one of the needle cylinders and the relevant hydraulic units of one group in the cylinder 83 and a knitting cycle can be created in the needles in both beds in the opposite direction using cross connections between the second needle cylinder and the second bank of hydraulic units on a similar principle to the mechanical connections hereinbefore described with reference to FIGURE 3.

Other arrangements of pistons and hydraulic connections can be used to economise on the diameter of the remote control cylinder 83.

Manifestly, a machine in accordance with the present invention capable of simultaneously knitting one or a plurality of separate fabrics, each fabric being produced by a feeder reciprocating as in a flat knitting machine, may be employed to produce a wide variety of fabrics. For example, a single machine in accordance with the invention may be arranged to produce twenty or more separate knitted strappings with the advantage of unidirectional rotary action.

In accordance with a further important feature of the present invention there may be provided, in a knitting machine of any of the forms hereinbefore described, or in a remote control unit for a knitting machine or for knitting plant, a plurality of sets of cams arranged to travel in the same direction in different paths, the arrangement being such that a group of needles may be simultaneously operated by two or more sets of cams, one or both of the sets of cams actuating the group of needles directly in one sequence and causing the latter to knit a row or course of Weft knitting in one direction and the other or both of the sets of cams simultaneously actuating the same group of needles indirectly (by reason of the coupling of the needles to remote elements controlled by the sets of cams) in the reverse direction and causing the needles to knit another row or course of weft knitting in the opposite direction.

Thus, in applying this feature to a circular knitting machine there may be a plurality of sets of earns arranged in tiers, that is to say at different levels, around the needle cylinders(s) and/or in the case of a machine having a cylinder and dial, a plurality of cams arranged, for example, on a dial cam plate to travel in annular paths of different diameters arranged concentrically with respect to the dial. For example, each of the needles may have associated therewith two or more knitting butts provided either on each of the needles themselves or on intermediate sliders or jacks located in the same tricks or grooves as the needles, the two or more butts being provided at different levels for actuation by cams at different heights.

Thus two rows or courses of knitting will be simultaneously knitted on one group of needles in opposite directions to one another and will cross over one another. In order that the two rows of knitting can cross over one another the arrangement must be such that the small number of needles at the point of cross over of the opposite rows are actuated by one cam box only at any one time. Thus, each of the needles of this small number are provided, either directly or upon intermediate sliders or jacks, with butts so arranged that it can be operated only by cams at one height or in one tier. Thus, each of the needles of this small number does not have a butt at the height at which the set of cams producing the knitting of one row or course traverses these needles and the yarn feeder associated with this set of cams is arranged to be automatically arrested so that the feed of yarn, from which this row is being knitted, is interrupted and the row of knitting being knitted in the opposite direction is allowed to pass this point unhindered, that is to say this row continues to be knitted. The arrested feeder is then picked up by a set of cams rotating at a different height or in a different tier and spaced behind the set of cams which detaches the feeder and proceeds to knit the cross over section of the said row.

In a simple embodiment applied to a circular knitting machine, there are two groups of needles, each provided with one butt, the butts being set out as will be described, and two sets of knitting and associated cams located in one tier, i.e. at one height at diametrically opposite locations in respective cam boxes which are rotatable about a needle cylinder and a further two sets of knitting and associated cams in respective cam boxes located in a different tier, i.e. at a different height, at diametrically opposite locations, the sets of cams at opposite sides of the cylinder and in the two different tiers being located adjacent to one another, but separated at a certain distance apart angularly about the cam box. All of the sets of cams are arranged to rotate together at constant speed and in one direction of rotation relatively to the needle cylinder.

All of the needles of one group are each provided with a butt at one height for actuation by cams in one tier and approximately half of the needles of the other group which will be acted upon firstly by a set of cams are each provided with a butt at one height, i.e. the same height as that of the butts on the needles of the first group, for actuation by cams in the said tier and the remaining half of the needles in the other group are each provided with a butt at a different height for actuation by cams in the other tier. The needles of one group are connected, in reverse sequence, to those of the other group. Thus, the needles of the first group are actuated directly by the leading set of earns at one side of the cam box, the trailing set of cams having no action upon the needles of the first group since there are no butts at the relevant height thereon. Simultaneously, however, the leading set of cams in the cam box at the opposite side of the cylinder, which cams are located in the same tier as the set of cams at the first-mentioned side of the cylinder similarly actuate the first half of the needles of the second group having butts at the relevant height so that these needles of the second group are actuated and, by reason of the connections between these needles and those of the first group, the latter are indirectly actuated and a second row of knitting is simultaneously knitted in the opposite direction on the first group of needles. The lower set of cams in the cam box at the opposite side of the cylinder has no action upon the needles of this first half of the second group, and, as the cams continue to turn, the leading set of cams at the oppostie side of the cylinder have no action upon the second half of the needles of the group because there are no butts at the relevant height and the trailing set of cams at the opposite side of the cylinder actuates the second half of the needles of the second group by reason of the butts provided at the relevant height thereon.

The arrangement of the needle operating butts is such that before the two rows of knitting being knitted in opposite directions on each group of needles, meet the set of cams producing one of the rows of knitting drops its feeder and no further knitting butts lie at the relevant height on the needles or associated parts in the path of the set of earns the butts of further needles lying in the tier in which the trailing set of cams is due to pass. The trailing set of cams collects the dropped feeder and knits the remainder of the row.

During the knitting of a subsequent row or course, the yarn feeder which was uninterrupted during the cross over of the above mentioned two contra-directional rows of knitting is interrupted in a similar manner to that described above and the other yarn feeder is allowed to pass unhindered. Thus, the knitting proceeds in both directions across the fabric or fabrics being knitted on the group or groups of needles around the cylinder, the feeders oscillate from edge to edge of the or each fabric and are alternately interrupted and, coinciding with the feeder interruptions, a set of cams is disengaged so as to cease to cause the needles to knit, the knitting being taken up by a following set of cams at a different tier or level.

Some of the principles just described are illustrated in FIGURE 7 which is a diagrammatic plan view of a needle cylinder laid out in cone form to enable the butts set out and the cam box tracks to be clearly shown.

As will be seen in FIGURE 7, the needles lie in two groups, viz G1 and G2+G3. Each needle has one butt only. The butts of the needles of group G1 and of the section G3 of group G2+G3 have butts lying in an upper position of the cylinder in which position they can be acted upon by upper cam boxes 172 and 174. The butts of the needles in section G2 of group G2+G3 lie in a lower path or tier of the cylinder and can only be operated by lower cam boxes 173 and 175.

The cam box 173 rotates at a fixed distance from the cam box 172 and, similarly, the cam box 175 rotates at a fixed distance from the cam box 174. The cam systems 172, 173 are diametrically opposed to the cam systems 174, 175, i.e. whatever the degree of rotation, the cam boxes 172, 173, 174, and 175 are at fixed distances from one another.

The needles to of group G2+G3 are connected to the needles 136 to 171 of group G1 in such a manner that the knitting cycle imparted to needle 136 by cam action produces an identical knitting cycle in needle 100. The knitting cycle imparted to needle 137 produces an identical knitting cycle in needle number 101, and so on. Similarly, a knitting cycle produced in needle 135 produces an identical knitting cycle in needle 171, etc.

Thus, when cam box 172 picks up feeder 176 and traverses needles 136 to 171 of group G1 and feeder 176a is connected to feeder 176 in such a manner that 176a oscillates an equal distance in a clockwise direction to that traversed by 176 in an anticlockwise direction needles 100 to 135 of group G2+G3 can form a row of knitting from X3 to X4 by remote needle connections identical to the row of knitting created on needles 136 to 171 Of group G1 from X1 to X2.

But at the same time cam box 174 traversing the knitting butts of group G3 and carrying feeder 177a produces a row of knitting on the needles of group G3 and causes an identical knitting cycle to take place in needles 171 up to 157 of group G1 and the anticlockwise oscillation of feeder 177a produces an equal clockwise oscillation of feeder 177. Thus a row of knitting can be formed in a clockwise direction from needle 171 up to needle 157. At these points X5 and X6, feeders 177a and 177 are disconnected from cam box 174 and arrested, and cam box 174 proceeds over needles of section G2 where there are no butts in its path. This allows the knitting proceeding from X1 to X2 and also from X3 to X4 to pass unhindered. The cam box 175 can then pick up feeder 177a and by acting upon the butts of section G2 of group G2+G3 can cause the relevant needles to knit the remainder of the row which is proceeding from X4 to X3. At the same time, a knitting cycle is produced in needles from 156 to 136 of group G1, and feeder 177 moves a distance clockwise similar to the anticlockwise oscillatory movement of the feeder 177a and the remainder of the row of knitting from X2 to X1 can thus be completed. By this time, cam boxes 174, 175 are about to occupy the gap between X1 and X3 and cam boxes 172, 173 to occupy the gap between X2 and X4 and as the two cam systems are identical, a continuous sequence of knitting can be accomplished, this demonstrating in a very simple way the contra-directional knitting method with interrupted feed. One cylinder only has been shown in FIGURE 7, but the principles concerned are equally applicable to opposing needles either in a superimposed cylinder or in a dial.

In a circular knitting machine in accordance with the invention the arrangement will preferably be such that the or each needle cylinder or a cylinder and dial is or are stationary and the set(s) of cams, e.g. arranged in a box or boxes, will be rotatable relatively to the or each such circular bed in order to actuate the needles. How- 17 ever, there is no limitation in this respect since it may be possible for the needle cylind'er(s) or the cylinder and dial, as the case may be, to be rotated relatively to stationary set(s) of cams.

For simplicity it is assumed in the description of the invention throughout this specification that action upon the butts causes the associated needles to knit, although it will be appreciated that actuation of the butts can produce any desired selective actuation of the associated needles for patterning purposes or for effecting widening and narrowing of the fabric in addition to causing the needles to knit.

A group of needles and a group of elements or another group of needles may be connected together in reverse sequence, as described above, by any suitable means. Thus, these means may be, for example, wholly mechanically, electro-mechanically, electrically or hydraulically operable.

A circular knitting machine such as that described above with reference to FIGURE 7 is a simple example and does not imply a limit to the number of sets of cams and the number of annular paths, layers or tiers in which the sets of cams may be arranged since a large number of such sets may be arranged in a variety of ways. In addition to automatic engagement and disengagement of feeders, the Sets of cams may be automatically retracted.

This feature of the invention, viz the use of a plurality of cam boxes in contra-rotational knitting is applicable to either single needle cylinder or superimposed needle cylinders with two sets of needles, superimposed needle cylinders with one set of double ended needles or cylinder and dial circular knitting machines, and to a flat knitting machine, or a flat knitting machine having a plurality of beds arranged back to back, operated by cam boxes rotating continuously in one direction. Such ma chines may be single bed, double bed, multi-bed or double bed or multi-bed purl varieties.

Although a circular knitting machine in accordance with the invention has been described above as having a group of needles connected with a group of elements in the same needle cylinder, or two or more pairs of groups of needles in the same needle cylinder and connected with one another, a circular knitting machine in accordance with the invention may comprise two superimposed needle cylinders, and at least one group of needles, in each cylinder, the needles of a group in one cylinder being connected with those in the other cylinder whereby a group of needles in one cylinder may be actuated directly by a set of cams and indirectly by reason of the actuation of the associated group of needles in the other cylinder by a set of cams associated therewith. Similarly, instead of two superimposed cylinders, the arrangement can be applied to a cylinder and dial. 7

A modification of the contra-directional and interrupted feed knitting described above may be applied to flat knitting machines having either a single bed or double beds (in which each bed is equipped with a set of needles or in which the beds are equipped with a single set of double ended needles). In applying this modification for example, to a double bed flat knitting machine the knitting needles in the front bed are coupled to the needles in the rear bed in such a manner that the traverse of a front cam system starting from one end of the machine causes the needles of both beds to knit in sequence from that end of the machine. Moreover, a second cam system on the rear bed of the machine is arranged to simultaneously start from the opposite end of the machine and cause a knitting sequence to start in the needles of both beds from that end of the machine. Cam boxes associated with one another on the front bed can run over the needles or jacks or sliders along various paths and needles, or their operating jacks or sliders, are provided with butts lying along such paths or tiers as to be operable by certain of the cam boxes. The rear cam boxes and needle operating butts are also arranged in various paths or tiers. The feeders are capable of being automatically engaged or disengaged from the various associated cam boxes. Thus, the front and rear bed cam systems starting from opposite ends of the machine can pass one another and traverse to the opposite ends of the machine and back and contradirectional knitting with interrupted feed can be accomplished as previously described.

The two camsystems of such a machine could be individually reciprocated or cam systems could traverse both beds annularly in a single direction.

In such a machine, the needle and feeder motivation could, as in the case of other machines described above, be effected by a remote control unit. Moreover, such a remote control unit could provide motivation to the knit ting needles and feeders of a plurality of flat knitting machines having this modification.

In any of the various machines described above the knitting of a piece or pieces of fabric in rows starting from opposite edges and cross one another and with a yarn feed or feeds being interrupted by arresting of the yarn feeder may be accomplished by different methods to those actually described, e.g. the cam systems may be capable of automatic displacement into different annular paths, e.g. in the case of a circular superimposed machine, vertical displacement into various tiers or heights. The butts on needles or on needle-operating elements or parts may be withdrawn completely into the tricks or in stages into the .tricks or other suitable means, e.g. pattern wheels, may

be provided for selectively effecting or terminating knitting as required. It may be advantageous to advance or retard circular motion of certain cam systems.

In the above described examples references made concerning the numbers of cam boxes, numbers of heights, tiers, paths or annular paths which they traverse and the number of needle operating butts do not imply limits in respect of such numbers. Likewise references made to the numbers of feeders on a machine or to the numbers of pieces of fabric or garment parts capable of being produced on a machine do not imply limits in these respects.

In cases where reference is made to the cam systems, or needle cylinders, dials or beds being stationary this does not preclude limited rotation of these parts if required.

Moreover, where needles are described as being of automatic latch type, it is to be understood that in certain applications it would be possible to employ compound needles provided with separate hook and latch-operating butts.

The fabric knitted upon the needles of each group would have properly selvedged edges and could be patterned by colour using multiple feeders'capable of being automatically selected or/and by various stitch formations or by jacquard and the fabric strips could be narrowed and widened using the stitch transfer and shogging of needle cylinders angularly about their common axis similar to the conventional flat frame narrowing and widening. In the case of a cylinder and dial machine, the dial and cylinder could shog relatively to one or other angularly about their common axis.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, in combination, two pairs of opposed flat needle beds, lying back to back; a group of knitting needles having an associated set of butts in each of said beds; means actuatably connecting the needles in the opposed beds of one pair in reverse sequence with the needles in the opposed beds of the other pair; sets of cams movable unidirectionally for action successively upon the sets of butts; and at least one yarn feeder reciprocable along each pair of opposed needle beds, whereby first one course of weft knitting can be produced in one direction upon the needles in one pair of opposed beds by direct actuation upon the relevant butts by the cams, and a course of weft knitting can be similarly produced in one direction upon the needles in the other pair of beds by virtue of the remote and thus indirect actuation of the butts associated with the last mentioned needles through the medium of the connections with the needles in the said pair of beds when the set of butts upon the needles of the first pair of beds are directly actuated by the relevant cams, and as the same cams move round to actuate the butts associated with the needles in the second pair of opposed beds, the last mentioned needles will be directly actuated to knit a second course of weft knitting in the reverse direction, and the needles in the first pair of opposed beds by virtue of the connections between the needles in the two pairs of beds, will be actuated to knit a second course of knitting in the reverse direction, each set of cams successively operating the needles in both pairs of needle beds in similar fashion.

2. A knitting machine which includes, in combination, a needle bed having grooves therein; a group of knitting needles accommodated in grooves in said bed; a first set of operating parts which are located in said bed and are associated with said knitting needles therein; a carrier remote from said needle bed; a group of needle-operating parts accommodated in said carrier and presenting butts to be acted upon; cams for action upon said butts, the carrier and the said cams being relatively movable unidirectionally; and intermediate coupling means between the first set of operating parts in the needle bed and the needle-operating parts in the remote carrier, whereby action of the cams upon the butts to move the needle-operating parts in said carrier produces proportional movements of the corresponding needles in the needle bed.

3. A knitting machine which includes, in combination; a needle bed having therein grooves; a first group of knitting instruments accommodated in predetermined ones of said grooves and having thereon a first set of operating butts; a second and corresponding group of instruments accommodated in other grooves of the said bed remote from the first mentioned grooves, the instruments of said second group having thereon a second set of operating butts; cams for action successively upon the first and second sets of operating butts for actuating the first and second groups of instruments at successive times, the needle bed and the said cams being relatively movable unidirectionally, and intermediate movement-transmitting means between the first and second groups of instruments for remotely operating the knitting instruments of the second group in a reverse sequence each time the first set of operating butts are directly acted upon by the cams, and vice versa.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination: a needle cylinder having therein cylinder tricks and slots in its wall; a group of knitting needles accommodated in a first succession of said tricks and each furnished both with a knitting butt and also with a repeater butt extending through one-of said slots in the cylinder wall to the inside of the cylinder, the dimension from the knitting butts to the needle heads being constant, but the repeater butts being at successively higher p sitions respectively on the successive knitting needles of the said group; a group of repeater elements accommodated in a second succession of the cylinder tricks spaced circumferentially and remote from the first succession, the number of elements in the repeater element group being equal to the number of needles in the knitting needle group, each repeater element being furnished both with a knitting butt and also with a repeater butt extending through another slot in the cylinder wall to the inside of the cylinder, and the knitting butts on the repeater elements being similarly arranged to the knitting butts on the knitting needles whereas the repeater butts on the repeater elements although at successively higher positions on the successive repeater elements of the group are opposite-hand with respect to the dispositions of the repeater butts on the knitting needles; a cam box equipped with cams for action on the knitting butts and mounted for rotation unidirectionally about the needle cylinder; at first set of pivoted toggles slidably engaged with the repeater butts on the knitting needles; a second set of similar toggles slidably engaged with the repeater butts on the repeater elements;

a first series of turnable transmitter shafts to which the toggles of the first set are secured; a second series of similarly turnable transmitter shafts to which the toggles of the second set are secured; bearings through which the two series of transmitter shafts extend; couplings for coupling together the said two series of transmitter shafts so that when the aforesaid cams act directly on the knitting butts of the repeater elements one after the other, the knitting needles will be remotely operated seriatim but in a reverse sequence and vice versa, through the medium of the transmitter shafts; a reciprocatory yarn feeder for feeding yarn to and fro to the group of knitting needles; 3. first ring which has the said feeder attached thereto and is capable of oscillat ry motion about the needle cylinder, said ring having a series of racking teeth thereon; a first drive block secured to said first ring; a second ring having thereon another series of racking teeth opposed to the similar teeth on the first ring, said second ring also being capable of oscillatory motion about the needle cylinder; a toothed gear which is rotatable about a fixed axis and is arranged in mesh with the two opposed series of racking teeth so that as the first ring moves in either direction the second ring simultaneously moves in the opposite direction; a second drive block secured to said second ring; a spring-loaded lever which is supported from the cam box and is arranged for action upon the first and second drive blocks in that order as the cam box rotates unidirectionally ab ut the needle cylinder; and fixed cams operable to disengage the springloaded lever from each drive block in turn so that as the cam box moves in the one direction the feeder will be driven across the group of knitting needles first in one direction and then in the opposite direction.

5. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination: a needle cylinder having therein cylinder tricks and slots in its wall; a first group of knitting needles accommodated in a first succession of said tricks and each furnished both with a knitting butt and also with a repeater butt extending through one of said slots in the cylinder wall to the inside of the cylinder,-the dimension from the knitting butts to the needle heads being constant, but the repeater butts being at successively higher positions respectively on the successive knitting needles of the said first group; a second group of knitting needles accommodated in a second succession of the cylinder tricks spaced circumferentially and remote from the first succession, the number of needles in the second group being the same as that in the first group, each needle of the second group being furnished both with a knitting butt and also with a repeater butt extending through another slot in the cylinder wall to the inside of the cylinder, and the knitting butts on the second group of needles being similarly arranged to the knitting butts on the first group of needles whereas the repeater butts on the needles of the second group although at successively higher positions are opposite-hand with respect to the dispositi ns of the repeater butts on the knitting needles of the first group; a cam box equipped with cams for action on the knitting butts and mounted for rotation unidirectionally about the needle cylinder; a first set of pivoted toggles slidably engaged with the repeater butts on the knitting needles of the first group, a second set of similar toggles slidably engaged with the repeater butts on the knitting needles of the second group; a first series of turnable transmitter shafts to which the toggles of the first set are secured; a second series of similarly turnable transmitter shafts to which the toggles of the second set are secured; bearings through which the two series of transmitter shafts extend; couplings for coupling together the said two series of transmitter shafts so that when the aforesaid cams act directly on the knitting abutts of the first group of knitting needles, one after the other, the knitting needles of -the second group will be remotely operated seria'tim but in a reverse sequence, and vice versa, through the medium of the transmitter shafts; a first reciprocatory yarn feeder for feeding yarn to and fro to the needles of a second reciprocatory yarn feeder for similarly feeding yarn to the needles of the second group; a first ring which has the first yarn feeder attached thereto and is capable of oscillatory motion about the needle cylinder, said ring having a series of racking teeth thereon; a first drive block secured to said first ring; a second ring which has the second yarn feeder attached thereto, has another series of racking teeth opposed to the similar teeth on the first ring and is also capable of oscillatory motion about the needle cylinder; a toothed gear which is rotatable about a fixed axis and is arranged in mesh with the two opposed series of racking teeth so that as the first ring moves in either direction the second ring simultaneously moves in the opposite direction; a second drive block secured to said second ring; a spring-loaded lever which is supported for action upon the first and second drive 'blocks in that order as the cam box rotates unidirectionally; and fixed cams operable to disengage the spring-loaded lever from each drive block in turn so that as the cam box moves past the knitting needles of the first group the first feeder will be driven across said needles in a forward direction whereas the second feeder will be driven across the needles of the second group in a backward direction, and as the cam box moves past the needles of the second group, the second feeder will be driven forwardly across the last mentioned needles and the first feeder will be driven backwardly across the needles of the first group.

6. A knitting machine which includes, in combination, a needle bed having therein grooves, and first openended bores disposed in staggered relation within solid material of the bed; a group of knitting needles accommodated in grooves in said bed and having thereon operating buts; a first set of doubleended hydraulic pistons on said bores; elements connecting the said operating butts with the hydraulic piston of said first set; a carrier remote from said needle bed having therein second open-ended bores disposed in staggered relation within solid material of the carrier and also slots extending from said second bores to the outer surface of the carrier; a second set of double-ended pistons which are accommodated in said second bores and are provided with butts passing out beyond the said outer surface of the carrier; a cam box which is located on the outside of the remote carrier and is furnished with cams arranged for action on the butts of the second set of double-ended pistons, the cam box and the carrier being relatively rotatable unidirectionally; and a series of pairs of pipes which contain operating liquid and are so connected to opposite ends of the first and second bores that each such first bore and the corresponding second bore are in a closed hydraulic circuit so that upward and downward displacements of the hydraulic pistons of the second set caused by direct action of the cams on the butts theerof effect upward and downward displacements of the knitting needles in the needle bed.

7. A knitting machine comprising, in combination: two opposed flat needle beds each having therein grooves and open-ended bores disposed in staggered relation within solid material of the bed; knitting needles with operating butts accommodated in grooves in each needle bed; double-ended hydraulic pistons in the bores in each needle bed; elements connecting the said operating butts with the said hydraulic pistons; a cylindricalcarrier remote from the flat needle beds which carrier has formed therein two part-circular groups of open-ended bores disposed in staggered relation, there being an equal number of bores in each group and diametrically opposite blank spaces of equal arcuate extent between the said groups, two sets of double-ended hydraulic pistons respectively located in the two part-circular groups of bores, said sets of pistons being respectively provided with two series of butts at respectively different heights; pipes which contain operating liquid and provide connections between one of the two part-circular groups of bores in the the first group,

cylindrical carrier and corresponding bores in one of the opposed fiat needle beds; similar pipes containing operating liquid and which provide connections between the other part-circular group of bores in the said carrier and corresponding bores in the other of the needle beds; an upper cam box which is located on the outside of the cylindrical carrier and is equipped with cams for action upon the upper series of butts presented by one of the two sets of hydraulic pistons in the carrier; a lower cam box with cams for action upon the lower series of butts presented by the other set of hydraulic pistons in the carrier, the two cam boxes being rotatable about and relatively to the carrier in respectively opposite directions, and the arrangement being such that a displacement of a piston in the cylindrical carrier produces a movement of a corresponding needle in the relevant fiat needle bed, needles in first one bed being caused to knit by the action of cams in the upper cam box, and needles in the opposed bed by cams in the lower cam box, whereas in the reverse direction of knitting needles in the first mentioned bed will be caused to knit by action of cams in the lower cam box and needles in the second mentioned bed by cams in the upper cam box.

8. A circular knitting machine comprising, in combination, a needle cylinder formed with grooves; two diametrically opposed part-circular groups of needles in said grooves with gaps between the ends of the groups and each of said needles being provided with a butt, the butts of the needles of the whole of one group and of approximately half of the needles of the opposed group lying in an upper path whereas the butts of the remainder of the needles in the said opposed group lie in a lower path; two upper cam boxes located at diametrally opposite locations around the cylinder and housing respective sets of cams for action upon butts in the upper path; two lower cam boxes also located at diametrically opposite locations and housing respective sets of cams for action upon butts in the lower path, the two cam boxes at each opposite side of the cylinder being a fixed distance apart, and all the cam boxes being rotatable together in one direction relatively to the needle cylinder; movement-transmitting means serving to connect, in reverse sequence, the individual needles of one group with the opposite individual needles in the diametrically opposed groups; and four oscillatory yarn feeders one initially at each end of each of said two opposed groups of needles; relatively movable rings to which the feeders are secured; driver blocks on the rings; spring-influenced elements which are supported from relevant ones of the cam boxes and are arranged for action on the driver blocks; means for action on the spring-influenced elements to release them from relevant driver blocks at appropriate times; and rack and pinion gearing inter-connecting the rings so that when any one feeder is picked up by and positively moved in one direction by a cam box to traverse one group of needles, another feeder automatically traverses the opposed group of needles in the opposite direction.

9. A knitting machine including, in combination, bed means formed with grooves; a group of knitting instrumentalities in certain of the grooves; a group of corresponding actuating elements accommodated in grooves remote from the first mentioned grooves; intermediate operating connections between the said group of instrumentalities and the group of actuating elements such that direct action upon the group of elements operates the same and also effects, in an indirect manner through the said intermediate operating connections, actuation of the group of knitting instrumentalities; and cam means between which and the bed means there is provision for relative movement unidirectionally, the said cam means being adapted for direct action upon the group of actuating elements.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Nobst 66-13 Lombardi 66-135 XR Lombardi 66-135 XR Lombardi 66-135 XR Mishcon 66-19 Croucher 66-8 Hanel 66-49 Monday 66-125 Monk et a1 66-154 FOREIGN PATENTS 988,575 8/1951 France. 802,753 2/1951 Germany.

5 815,677 10/1951 Germany.

RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

